News

ORNL researcher Goyal honored as top 100 innovator by publication

OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Nov. 22, 1999 — Amit Goyal, a researcher in the Superconductivity Technology Program of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has been named by the MIT Technology Review as one of the top 100 innovators (TR-100) for the next millennium.

This award recognizes those who have the most potential to make significant technological innovations in the 21st century. The panel of judges includes three Nobel Laureates. The TR-100, in their view, exemplify the spirit of innovation in science, technology, business and the arts. Candidates must be no more than 35 years of age by Jan. 1, 2000.

Goyal's contributions relate to his work and inventions in the area of high temperature superconductors, which are materials that can transmit electricity with virtually no energy losses due to resistance. Superconducting wires can carry up to 100 times more electric current than conventional copper or aluminum wires.

A highlight of Goyal's work is fabrication of biaxially textured superconductors. The resulting structure resembles a single crystal of the superconductor enabling Goyal and his co-workers to fabricate a superconducting wire capable of very high critical current densities.

Goyal has submitted more than 30 invention disclosures that resulted in 22 patent applications and the issuance of seven U.S. patents. He has made more than 50 invited presentations and is the author or co-author of more than 130 published articles.

Among those joining Goyal in the TR-100 group are Marc Anderson, founder of Netscape; Jerry Yang, founder of Yahoo; Sabir Bhatia, founder of Hotmail; Arzoo Isy Goldwasser, co-founder of Symyx; and Jonathan Ivie of Apple Computer, who designed the Macintosh computer. The group is profiled in the November-December issue of Technology Review.

Goyal has received several honors during 1999, including an R&D 100 Award from R&D magazine and an American Museum of Science and Energy Tribute to Tennessee Technology Award. He was named the Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation's Inventor of the Year for his sustained inventions relating to the fabrication of high temperature superconducting materials.

He received a bachelor's degree in metallurgical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, a master's in mechanical and aerospace sciences from the University of Rochester and a doctorate in materials science and engineering from the University of Rochester.

Goyal is a resident of West Knoxville.

ORNL is a DOE multiprogram research facility managed by Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation.